snaw

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

snaw

1. Alternative form of snow

Etymology 2

Verb

snaw

1. Alternative form of snowen

Old English

Snāwbeþeaht weġ

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *snaiw (“snow”), from Proto-Germanic *snaiwaz (“snow”), from Proto-Indo-European *snóygʷʰos, from *sneygʷʰ- (“to snow”) + *-os (suffix forming action nouns from verbs).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /snɑːw/

Noun

snāw m

1. snow
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     baþian brimfuglas, · brǣdan feþra,
     hrēosan hrīm ond snāw, · hagle ġemenġed.

     bathe of sea-birds, spread of feathers,
     fall of frost and snow, mingled with hail.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	snāw	snāwas
accusative	snāw	snāwas
genitive	snāwes	snāwa
dative	snāwe	snāwum

Derived terms

• snāwġebland
• snāwiġ

Related terms

• snīwan

Descendants

• Middle English: snow, snaw, snowe, snawe, snowȝ, snoȝ, snogh, snou
  • English: snow
  • Scots: snaw
  • Yola: sneow, sneew, snowe, snow

Scots

Etymology

Inherited from Northern Middle English snaw (compare southern snow), from Old English snāw.

Noun

snaw (plural snaws)

1. snow
   • 1786, Robert Burns, A Winter Night:

     I heard nae mair, for Chanticleer
     Shook off the pouthery snaw,
     And hail'd the morning with a cheer,
     A cottage-rousing craw.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)